Need to see pic of the plant. How old? What were the winter temps?

Nancy: I punctured it with a paperclip and no sap came out, which is not a hopeful sign. (I pushed it in until it would go in no further.) I scraped the bark and saw green cambium which, seems to me, is a hopeful sign.

Dave: Pics are below. I don't know how old it is. It is about 18 inches tall from the soil line. Winter temps were about 60F.

Hi Vlad- no sap and I throw out. But wait till Dave responds.

Even with green cambium? Would sap be flowing in a dormant plant?

Dave's been at it longer than I have Vlad, so I'd wait for him or for another expert to ring in. Maybe even post a photo or two. But personally I think it's RIP time.

Here are the pics.

Looks healthy to me. Is it mushy at all at the soil line? I would just hold off on watering till you start to see new growth or swelling around old leaf nodes near the top where you cut it.

From a distance it looks pretty good. But the paper clip stick and no latex sap flowing from it does not portend well. I would not poke the stem with something as thick as a paper clip anymore. If you don't have any straight sewing pins get some at the dollar store. Prick the top and work your way down. If there's no latex say in the top third that portion really is a goner and you want to cut it off ASAP. Keep working your way down til you get to health tissue. I use a new pin each time as not to transfer rot to other areas of potentially healthy plant. But as you work your way down if you start getting latex, cut across the highest level of the healthy tissue.. Then start at the bottom and every 1.5 inches poke and check for latex. If from the bottom up you've got latex, chop off the rotted top (clean shears) and you have a clean plant. That portion may sprout new branches at the nodes so cut carefully above a set of nodes. Please caulk in the cut portion on top. If the only viable tissue you have is in the middle (latex) you can still cut both ends and use the middle piece as a cutting. If it truly is a goner, throw out all soil and even the pot it was in. You should always check your plumeria stem and branches and stems for softness/mushiness every day.

Just be sure to remove ALL the rotten portions and allow an inch of healthy tissue to remain on the cut portion. And don't delay doing more pinprick tests. That rot spreads like the flu.

I did the needle stick test and found latex only in the root stock, so I guess my poor plant is a goner.

So sorry Vlad. You gave it everything you've got. I hope you try again. My first few were touch and go too. Lost 3 out of 20 to rot this winter too but got some fun replacements at Maui Plumeria Gardens.

To everyone else reading this, Vlad is a citrus master on the citrus forum.

Oh, Nancy, you are tempting me to buy another and I already have a citrus and fig obsession! I will see what Maui has to offer.

The best part about MPG Vlad- it's a BOGO. Get a free "mystery" cutting with whatever you buy.

Maui Plumeria Gardens.

I too agree it looks fine. Plumeria grower for 8 years.. Has it come back yet? It needs warmth sun and some water. I force mine to go dormant by watering once a month. It can take several weeks to kick back.

Agree, Bet it would do better if you moved it outside